...there's both eatin' and drinkin' in it

So what’s with the rhubarb, you may well ask, it being well past rhubarb season hereabouts.

I had every reason to ponder this mighty vegetable today because I spent the afternoon excavating the roots of my one over-large rhubarb plant, splitting it into 4 and replanting the newly separated roots. In time, this will mean a lot more rhubarb in my garden, though it may take 15 months or so before the rhubarb recovers fully from the split. Knowing that I will have less rhubarb next year has made me all nostalgic for the rhubarb treats we were able to whip up during this years long season: stewed rhubarb with ginger, rhubarb crumble, rhubarb polenta cake, rhubarb almond torte. All but memories now.

Luckily, though, I also have something more substantial than memories in my cupboard in the form of rhubarb jam (though see where I almost ruined that here) plus a few jars of rhubarb chutney. This was my first year to make this darkly sweet and spicy chutney and it has been a big hit. If my small supply survives ’til Christmas, it will no doubt get paired with the family’s Christmas ham. Meanwhile it’s getting used, ploughman-style, on sharp cheddar and was a fine accompaniment to this weekend’s indian-style chickpea cakes. I’ll continue to savour it for as long as it lasts and then dream of the vats of this self-same chutney that will be possible from my garden supply in just a few years time.

If you’re using the rhubarb from frozen, the mixture will be more liquid at first, but that just means it’ll take a bit longer to get to a really nice thick consistency. It’s worth it though – by the time you’re done it’ll seem like the rhubarb has practically dissolved into the chutney and the whole thing is almost syrupy.